Solving the Front Seven

[Brown Warrior]

It's not like a team is likely to bring in five new starters for the front seven in a new scheme. Like the Packers a few years ago (remember Kampmann at OLB?), the Browns will be asking a lot of guys to adapt... and some of them won't cut it.

In addition to Rubin being a solid DT starter, Grossi says he was told that the team is optimistic about Shaefering as an "under" tackle... although I don't know what that means. I'm betting Rogers sticks as part of a rotation, too.

Jayme Mitchell was at least allegedly traded for with an eye to going 4-3 in 2011. He famously asked, "Why am I here?" This seems to be why. He might be the DE who comes out when Marcus Benard comes in on passing downs.

Speaking of Benard, that might be his role: He does his best pass rushing from a three point anyway and played DE in college. If he gets bigger, like upper 260s, he might end up a full-time starter. You have to ask yourself: How many of the 4-3 DEs in the draft after Quinn will be better than Benard next year? That said... I could see us drafting one in the second round.

Matt Roth isn't a cat quick pass rusher type... but he does have ideal size for the 4-3 LDE spot at 275. I could see Roth, Rubin, Shaefering, and Mitchell starting with Benard and Rogers in on passing downs... plus a 2nd round rookie in the mix.

At LB, the only sure thing would seem to be Fujita at a linebacker spot. Can Gocong play MLB in the 4-3? I have no idea, but it would sure be convenient. Maiava could benefit from the move because he's undersized and can at least allegedly cover. DQJ has often been said to make more sense in a 4-3, so that could be a bargain basement signing. I look for a quicker WLB type like Lawrence Wilson around the third round of the daft.

If we sign a linebacker like that in free agency, we could go with Alo's guy, my brother Kelvin Sheppard.

[Brown Warrior]

BTW, Chris Gocong is 6'2" and 263 and played RDE in college. He shot up draft boards for being a freak athlete and was seen as a pass rusher at the next level. Nobody knows him better than Heckert.

So is he playing at the top of his weight and would be a better linebacker at 252? Could he play DE at 265 or so, a prototypical weight for that position?

I think the brass needs to look at how all of these guys could fit into a 4-3: Gocong, Fujita, DQJ, Benard, Roth, etc.

[Alo]

Under tackle = the quick, penetrating DT in a 4-3. Schaefering posted some impressive size/speed numbers during his pre-draft workouts (4.85 40), but I haven't seen the kind of athleticism and explosiveness that would make him a quality starter at that position. Maybe he'll look better if he loses some weight, but I doubt he'll even be a poor man's Warren Sapp (the prototype for the position).

Hopefully, Rogers can give us something at that spot. Otherwise, we've got a big hole at the position, which may need to be addressed in the draft: Nick Fairley and Marcell Dareus would be options in Round 1, Corey Liuget and Drake Nevis in Round 2.

[mohican]

Speaking of linebackers, I read an article (in USA Yesterday) about AJ Hawk. He is having his best season in the pro's, I think leading the Pack in tackles, and was a pro bowl alternate?

He adapted (somewhat) from a 4-3 scheme his first two years to a 3-4. And he will probably be asked to take a salary cut, or be cut. Ah, the Buckeye homer in me would love to see AJ in a pumpkin helmet.....

[Sez.EJ]

Shep.. 5 new guys is about right... but as you say unlikely.. I would like to see at least 3 of our top 4 draft picks spent on front 7 guys..

[Vegasdogg]

Picking players at LB and DE in this defense is just like spending draft capital on a WR or RB on offense. You need to pick them high, and you cannot fill them in with serviceable guys. There is no two ways about it, we have plenty of needs where we have to take those players high.

[hammertime]

it seems we all know the wisdom of drafting these guys but never he ability to get it done.

The shear inability of fans is scary.

[Enigmatic Evil]

People, and I can't credit who, have been saying that we have the guys to run a 4-3 but it will be a curve. There's always a transition when changing defensive schemes but I maintain we will probably need to inject SOME new blood into the front 7. Maybe two lineman? Maybe a lineman and a linebacker? But one way or the other I think we need at least ONE impact guy brought in to play on the line. Honestly, I'm not convinced Shaun Rogers is that guy. I'm not sure if Ruben, or Roth, or even Bernard will be that guy. That's Jauron's job to figure out now and he's a hell of a lot more qualified than I am.

[Legacy Fan]

Originally Posted by Alo

which may need to be addressed in the draft: Nick Fairley and Marcell Dareus would be options in Round 1

Sign me up for Dareus all-day-long over Fairley. Dareus will be a force on Sundays.

[YtownBacker]

Shep, one thing people have to resign themselves to is that there may not be FA period this year. So, we can't count on all these new guys coming from FA. And, there won't be any trades allowed until there is a CBA in place. Sso maybe no FA or trades.....................WTF

That said, I can't figure out the reason why anybody would think Rogers is part of this teams future. He's due 5.5 million this year which becomes guaranteed if he is on the roster by some date in early March. He quit on the team last year, never really rehabbed his injury, got fatter and more out of shape and played very uninspired. So, this is the guy we want lined up next to Rubin (for maybe 12 plays a game, if he feels like it). Sorry man, but he burned a lot of bridges last year and some of those guys are still in the organization. He's most likely gone with zero compensation and he will be jumping for joy that he's out of Cleveland.

The other problem I have is with Gocong. Cleveland got him because he was a bad fit in the 4-3 with Philly. Most believe he is way more effective as a 3-4 LB. He was traded because he just didn't fit as a 4-3 LB. We have one potential ILB for the 4-3 and that is DQJ. But you have to figure in the fact that he has played 6 games in the last two years. We have one DE talent and he's a FA, that is Roth. He's not a great pass rusher but he would be solid as a run stopper and probably better suited to DE then OLB. But, the guy wants to be a FA and was pissed because Cleveland wouldn't sign him to a long term contract last year. He wants to move on. Bernard may be a situational pass rusher but he is poor against the rush. Besides all the holes in the front seven we also need another corner and FS. We played last year with two SSs.

WE need a starting DT, a starting DE and at least one starting LB plus DBs, at the very least, and then some depth because you know this is a league of injuries. We didn't have the pieces to be a dominate 3-4 defense but we are way off the grid with talent to run a 4-3 defense. Sometimes square pegs don't fit in round holes. Plus, we got to dump our old gray hairs and get younger. Barton and Bowens got to go.

How do you fix the offense and the defense in one offseason where there may not be any Fa or trades. I don't buy that we can transition into a 4-3 without much problem.

[Brown Warrior]

Y, my point isn't really that it won't be a problem so much that it is what it is... and we might have to be creative finding ways to use our personnel in a 4-3. The coaches won't have the luxury of saying it's too complicated... they'll have to find a way.

If there's no free agency, you pray for DQJ's health and/or Gocong's ability to play MLB in the 4-3. You have to find DEs from Benard, Roth, Mitchell, and probably a pick in round 2 (like Kerrigan or Beal or Sheard). You have to draft some smaller, quicker WLB types in round 3 (like Lawrence Wilson) and maybe again in 5. You find out if Shaefering can be that "under" tackle in the 4-3 on the field, not in theory.

It's sort of a damn the torpedoes situation. You do what you gotta do. I'm not convinced that we can't field a very competent front seven, though. The you continue the process in the next offseason.

We had to make some changes anyway. We had way too many old farts.

[Alo]

Originally Posted by Legacy Fan

Sign me up for Dareus all-day-long over Fairley. Dareus will be a force on Sundays.

I'm hoping Dareus has a beastly Combine. There are some rumored weight & intelligence issues, which he needs to dispel by looking good in Indy.